Lamp cooling device in suction cleaners



Aug. 25, 1953 J. E. VANCE LAMP COOLING DEVICE IN SUCTION CLEANERS Filed March 51, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VENTOR.

Jo/m 1 Vance ATTORNEY.

Aug. 25, 1953 J, E. VANCE LAMP-COOLING DEVICE IN SUCTION CLEANERS Filed March 31, 1949 2 Sheets-She et 2 INVENTOR.

John E Vance BY WSW ATTORNEY.

Patented Aug. 25, 1953 LAMP COOLING DEVICE IN SUCTION CLEANERS John E. Vance, North Canton, Ohio, assignor to The Hoover Company, North Canton, Ohio, a

corporation of Ohio Application March 31, 1949, Serial No. 84,693

Claims. (01. 1 5-324) This invention relates to suction cleaners and more particularly to a device for cooling the electric bulb which illuminates the floor covering being cleaned.

An object of the invention is to provide a new and improved suction cleaner. Another object is to provide an improved lamp cooling device in a suction cleaner. A further object is to provide a conduit for conveying the cooling air to the lamp and also to enclose the electrical conductors. Another object is to provide a cover plate for a converter port and also to house the lamp, the cover plate directing the cooling air away from the lamp. Still another object is to provide a latch in the cleaner body for the cover plate. Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description and drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of the suction cleaner;

Figure 2 is a sectional view showing the conduit means for conveying the cooling air to the lamp; and

Figure 3 is a section along the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

The present embodiment of the invention comprises a suction cleaner having a body I0, not completely shown, provided with a nozzle formed by a vertical front wall I2, a top wall 9, an inclined front wall |3, a rear wall l4, opposite vertical end walls l5 and an arcuate wall Hi all of which enclose a suction air passageway leading to a fan eye |8 in the nozzle rear wall l4. A suction fan chamber is formed by the nozzle rear wall l4, an arcuate side wall 2| and a removable wall 22 which is attached to the arcuate side wall 2| by a plurality of screws 23. Attached to the fan chamber rear wall 22 is a motor housing 24 provided with a partition 25 which cooperates with the fan chamber wall 22 to form a cooling fan chamber 21. Disposed in the motor housing 24 is an unshown motor which drives a cooling fan 28, a suction creating fan 29 and a belt pulley 30. Attached to the pulley is a belt 3| for driving an unshown surface agitating member movably mounted in the nozzle A port 33 is provided in the inclined nozzle front wall l3 opposite the fan eye |8 to provide access for the operator's fingers to remove the belt 3| from the pulley 30, whereby an unshown hose coupling may be inserted in the port 33 for connection with the suction fan chamber 20.

At the right of the port 33, as viewed in Figure 1, and also the fan eye I8, is an electric light bulb 35 mounted in a socket 36 formed in'a member 31 having an outer wall 38 and an annular side wall 39. The walls 38 and 39 of the member 31 cooperate with the rear wall I4 of the nozzle to form a duct 40 having an outlet 4| adjacent the lamp 35. The member 3! is assembled to the cleaner body by passing it through the nozzle mouth 42 and an opening 43 in the top wall 9 of the nozzle, and is secured in position by a screw 44. The opening 43 is closed by a projecting lug 45 on the member 31. Disposed in the duct 40 are two-electrical spring contacts 41 and 48 secured at one end to the member 3! by screws 49, and the free ends of the contacts engage the light bulb 35.

A substantially U-shaped member 5| is connected with an opening 52 in the nozzle rear wall l4 and extends exteriorly of the suction fan chamber 20 to an opening 53 in the wall 54 of the cooling fan chamber 21. The marginal edges 55 of the member 5| cooperate with the suction fan chamber wall 2| and cooling fan chamber wall 54 to form a duct 51 from the cooling fan chamber 27 to the opening 52 in the nozzle rear wall I4. A pair of screws 58 secure the member 5| to the exterior wall 2| of the fan chamber 20. Thus the ducts 51 and 40 provide an air passageway from the cooling fan chamber 21 to the outlet 4|, whereby air discharged by the fan 28 passes through the ducts 51 and 40 to cool the lamp 35. Electrical conductors 6|] and 6| are also disposed in the duct '51 and extend from the screws 49 through an opening 62 in the end wall 64 of the member 5| for connection to a suitable source of current.

In front of the port 33 and the lamp 35 is a cover 10 having a flanged edge H to engage the marginal edge 12 of the U-shaped portion 13 of the cleaner body, and the lower edge 74 of the cover 10 rests on the top wall 9 of the nozzle. The front wall 15 of the cover is provided with openings 16 to permit the rays from the lamp 35 to be projected onto the surface forwardly of the nozzle II to illuminate the area to be cleaned. Mounted in the front wall 15 is a plastic member 18 on which the name of the cleaner can be formed and the name is illuminated by light rays entering the top edge 13 of the member 18. Attached to the top portion of the cover 10 is a spring steel member 8| having a depending portion 82 to which a closure 83 is secured by rivets 84, and the closure 83 seals the port 33.

Secured to the nozzle front inclined wall I3 by a rivet 85 is a spring metal member 86 which passes through the nozzle top wall 9 and extends forwardly along the latter. A latch button 81 is attached to the member 86 and projects through an opening in the nozzle top Wall 9 and is provided with a vertical surface 38 and an inclined face 89. When the vertical surface 88 engages the lower portion of-t-he cover 10 the latter is locked in position and the closure 83 covers the port 33. A suitable washer is arranged about the latch button 81 to prevent leakage of air through the nozzle top wall 9.

When the cleaner is in operation, the lamp 35 is illuminated and the cooling fan 28 rotates to force air through the ducts 51 and 40 and cool the lamp. The light rays also pass through the openings to illuminate the floor covering being cleaned. At the same time the port 33 is closed by the closure 83 on the cover 10.

If it is desired to connect a hose coupling to the port 33 the latch button 81 is pressed downwardly to permit the lower edg e l4 ofthe cover 19 to slide forwardly on the inclined face 89, whereby the cover 10 together With the closure 83 can be removed as a unit from the cleaner body. In order to attach the cover 70 to the cleaner body the flanged edge ll is placed Within the edge 12 of the body wall 13 and the lower edge 14 of the cover slides over the inclined face 89 of the latch button until the vertical face 88 abutsthe cover 10 and locks the latter in position. H The spring steel member 82 urges the closure 83 into the port 33 to close the latter.

While I have shown and described but a single modification of my invention, it is to be understood that this modification is to be taken as illustrative only and not in a limiti ng sense. I do not ish to be limited to the particular structures shown and described, but to include all equivalent variations thereof except as limited by the scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. In a suction cleaner, a body, a fan chamber in said body, means on said body for supporting an electric light bulb at one side of said fan chamber, a cooling fan at another side of said fan chamber, electrical conductors for said light bulb, and means cooperating with the walls of said fan chamber to form a completely walled air passageway extending from said cooling fan and having an outlet at said light bulb to convey cooling air to said light bulb, said electrical conductors being disposed in said Walled air passageway.

2. In a suction cleaner, a body having an opening for a converter tool, means supporting 4 an electric light bulb on said body, a walled conduit conveying cooling air to said light bulb, cover means independent of said light bulb supporting means removably mounted on said body and including outer means and inner means, said inner means closing said converter opening and being supported by said outer means, said outer means cooperating with said body to enclose said inner means and said light bulb, and means in said outer means to convey the cooling air from said light bulb.

*3; ma suction cleaner, a body, an electric light bulb on said body to illuminate the surface being cleaned, a fan mounted in said body for moving air to said bulb to cool the latter, a wa-lled conduit extending from said fan to said light bulb and having an outlet adjacent said bulb to discharge cooling air, and means in said walled conduit exposed to said cooling air for mounting said bulb adjacent said outlet in the path of cooling air discharged from said outlet.

4. A suction cleaner as described in claim 3, and electrical conductors for said light bulb disposed in said walled conduit and connected in said walled conduit to said bulb.

5. In a suction cleaner, a body having a surface cleaning nozzle at its forward end and an opening above said no'zzle'for receiving a converter tool, means in said body to one side of sa'idcohverter opening supporting an electric bulb, a cover independent of said light bulb supportin means remcvably mounted on said body, said cover including inner and outer means, said inner means closing' sai'd converter opening and supported by said outer means, said outer means cooperating with said body to enclose said inner means and said light bulb, and openings in said outer means to direct the light rays onto the surface being cleaned. i 7

JOHN E. VANCE. 

